In his annual May budget revision, Gov. Jerry Brown kept the Department of Food and Agriculture’s nearly $80.7 million general-fund allocation intact even though overall revenue has fallen short of expectations. In addition, the governor still proposes a $2 million boost for the CDFA’s medical marijuana program. just over $1 million to regulate alternative transportation […]
Cal Water Stockton customers saved 22 percent from June through February, exceeding their state mandate of 20 percent. Cal Water customers already used less water per capita than most other local providers, making the 22 percent reduction even more impressive. It took some aggressive new policies to get the job done. For the first time, […]
Sen. Dianne Feinstein’s third effort to address California’s drought by expanding the water supply through dams, recycling, desalination and other methods, as well as tinkering with protections for endangered fish, received the go-ahead Tuesday from the federal Bureau of Reclamation at a Senate hearing. Estevan Lopez, a bureau commissioner, called Feinstein’s bill, S2533, a “measured […]
Stubborn drought conditions and an epidemic of dead and dying trees mean California is facing a potentially catastrophic fire season, federal officials said Tuesday as they promised to send extra money and personnel to the state. Similar circumstances contributed to record acreage lost to wildfires in the West last year, including three blazes that laid […]
Five years into California’s latest drought, a major water bill compromise can seem as far away as ever. The perennial conflict, often summed up as fish vs. farms, subtly surfaced again Tuesday at a key Senate hearing. A Western growers’ advocate pleaded for relief, a Trout Unlimited leader urged caution and lawmakers insisted on optimism […]
IT HAS been in drought for five long years and some fear they are in the grip of a never-ending dry spell. The situation has become so severe that the state’s leader has launched permanent water conservation measures. Welcome to daily life for people in California who have been subjected to a dry spell many Australian […]
Brown’s Budget Revision Leaves CDFA, Drought Funding Intact
/in California and the U.S. /by Mike Lee /Capital Press (Salem, Ore.)In his annual May budget revision, Gov. Jerry Brown kept the Department of Food and Agriculture’s nearly $80.7 million general-fund allocation intact even though overall revenue has fallen short of expectations. In addition, the governor still proposes a $2 million boost for the CDFA’s medical marijuana program. just over $1 million to regulate alternative transportation […]
BLOG: The Reward for Saving Water…
/in California and the U.S. /by Mike Lee /eSanJoaquinby Alex BreitlerCal Water Stockton customers saved 22 percent from June through February, exceeding their state mandate of 20 percent. Cal Water customers already used less water per capita than most other local providers, making the 22 percent reduction even more impressive. It took some aggressive new policies to get the job done. For the first time, […]
Feinstein Gets Green Light to Proceed on Contentious Water Bill
/in California and the U.S. /by Mike Lee /SFGate (San Francisco) by By Carolyn LochheadSen. Dianne Feinstein’s third effort to address California’s drought by expanding the water supply through dams, recycling, desalination and other methods, as well as tinkering with protections for endangered fish, received the go-ahead Tuesday from the federal Bureau of Reclamation at a Senate hearing. Estevan Lopez, a bureau commissioner, called Feinstein’s bill, S2533, a “measured […]
Drought, Dead Trees Add Up to Big Fire Danger for California
/in California and the U.S. /by Mike Lee /SFGate (San Francisco)by By Kurtis AlexanderStubborn drought conditions and an epidemic of dead and dying trees mean California is facing a potentially catastrophic fire season, federal officials said Tuesday as they promised to send extra money and personnel to the state. Similar circumstances contributed to record acreage lost to wildfires in the West last year, including three blazes that laid […]
California Water Bill: Here’s Why it’s so Hard for Congress to Pass
/in California and the U.S. /by Mike Lee /The Sacramento Bee by By Michael DoyleFive years into California’s latest drought, a major water bill compromise can seem as far away as ever. The perennial conflict, often summed up as fish vs. farms, subtly surfaced again Tuesday at a key Senate hearing. A Western growers’ advocate pleaded for relief, a Trout Unlimited leader urged caution and lawmakers insisted on optimism […]
California Drought: Government Warns ‘This is Just the Beginning’
/in California and the U.S. /by Mike Lee /NEWS.com (Sydney, Australia)IT HAS been in drought for five long years and some fear they are in the grip of a never-ending dry spell. The situation has become so severe that the state’s leader has launched permanent water conservation measures. Welcome to daily life for people in California who have been subjected to a dry spell many Australian […]